Not an Angel Girl
by Blondie 24-7
Summary: Sister fic! Draco Malfoys sister isn't like the rest of the family. She askes too many questions and is the Sirius of the Malfoy family. Here is her story. PLEASE NO FLAMES!
1. Blood prologue

_Sometimes good people die young_. If it's the good people that are always dieing young than why is it that the world still has so many good people? Father says that good or "light" is the loosing side. Why though? Didn't Harry defeat Voldamort as a baby. If a baby can defeat the worlds most powerful wizard, than who's to say that he was all that powerful to begin with.

Father doesn't like me. He says I ask too many questions for my own good and that it's going to be the death of me. But hey, I'm just a kid. I learned at a young age, never ask questions. But that didn't stop me. I guess that's why I turned out different than the rest of my family. I mean how many 5 year olds question their parents judgment?

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I was walking down the street. I don't even really remember why I was on a muggle street. My parents made a point to keep me away from muggles. I think I ran away from my parents when we were going to the ministry or something but hey I was 5, like I would remember details.

I saw this park, and I just remember how fun those swings looked. So I went over there to try them. While I was there a little girl like me went up to the other swing with her dad.

"Push me Daddy, Push me!" She said giggling and jumping on the swing. Her dad following her began to push her as the little girl squealed with delight yelling, "Higher, Higher!"

All I thought was that father would never take me to the park, let alone push me on the swing. He really barley acknowledges me. What made this girl any different?

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I didn't know it yet but it was that day that I really began to dislike my parents. No matter what I did I never seemed to do the right thing. Everything I did was wrong. But right than when I was a little 5-year-old girl. I was jealous of a muggle, because her father loved her. I was jealous because I couldn't call my father "Daddy," and I didn't have a Daddy to push me on the swings.

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After the little girl was done on the swings she tried to jump. But when she landed she scraped her knee. It was just a scratch, but it was enough to make her cry. Her Daddy rushed to her side to comfort her.

That was when my Father showed up.

"Cassiopeia Cleopatra Annette Malfoy!" Father shouted at me from across the park. I must have jumped a foot in the air. I gulped he sounded more than angry, he sounded furious.

"Never run away like that again!" He hissed grabbing my upper arm harshly and dragging me away.

"Yes, Father," I winced.

"And associating with that filth, I thought we taught you better than associating with that muggle scum!" He hissed as he dragged me down the street. "Of all the places to run to! A muggle park!"

"Sorry father, but why are muggles so bad?"

"Don't ask questions." He hissed and as soon as we were out of site of any "filthy muggles" as father put it he apperated us back to Malfoy Manner.

Don't ask questions. It's like the law of my life. Law number one in the book on _How to be a Malfoy and Survive._ They say it's for my own good. But I think there's a better way to describe it.

**Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.**

Maybe father didn't answer my question because he couldn't. I don't understand why muggles are bad. I don't understand why mud bloods are any different than me either. He says that they have dirty blood. But When I went to Diagon Ally. A "Mudblood" had tripped and scraped her hands. After she brushed the dirt away from the fall I could see her blood. It was red just like mine and just like that muggle girl in the parks. Why was my blood any better? If you ask me, 5-year-old Cassiopeia Cleopatra Annette Malfoy, my bloods the same color… it's not any better.

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Even as a child tough I was smart. I never voiced my opinions to my parents and I did what they told me. For the longest time I thought that I was the only person in the world that thought that Everyone's blood was the same. That is until I talked to my Auntie Andy at a Christmas party when I was 7 years old.

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I was dressed all pretty in a green dress for Christmas. My platinum blonde hair was in braids and tied with green ribbons. Everyone was telling me how pretty I looked today. We were hosting a Christmas party for all of the important people in the magical world. Among them was my mothers sister Andromeda or Auntie Andy. She is my mothers only living and free relative, but mother hates her because she married a "Mudblood." Her other sister Bellatrix is in Jail. I'm not so sure that I would want to meet her.

I was getting really bored because lets face it 7 year olds don't do small talk. Everyone here was basically mooching up to my Father for gold. I didn't like any of them but I was a good actress after 7 years of this. Finally sick of smiling and acting nice to all of the "Pureblood" people that had the same views as my father, if not close, I sat down on the couch in the parlor. There was only one other person sitting down in there and not in the great room like everyone else.

I was really trying not to be rude and stare at her, but just by looking at her I knew she was different than everyone else at this ghastly party. She looked just a little older than my mother.

"Hello," I said nervously, smiling. "I'm Cassiopeia, call me Cassie." I said conversationally still crossing my fingers that I was right and she was different form everyone else.

"Hello Cassie, I'm your Aunt Andromeda, you can call me Auntie Andy."

I had so many questions for her now that I knew we were related. But I held my tong. I must have looked weird though biting my tong because Auntie Andy noticed.

"What's the matter, child?" she asked kindly I think she was getting concerned with the face I was making, but I was biting my tong really hard,

"I'm biting my tong so I won't ask questions I'll regret later in life." I said honestly.

"Every question is a good question." She said puzzled. "Why would you ever regret asking one?"

"I'm not allowed to ask questions." I said and then slapped my hand over my mouth to stop me from saying anymore. _Usually I have better self-control than this!_ I scolded myself.

"Why wouldn't you be allowed to ask questions?" She asked now generally confused.

"Cause I always ask the wrong things." I said through my fingers and looking up at her with my big blue eyes. _Why is she allowed to ask so many questions and I'm not?_ I asked myself getting pretty mad. Adults are so confusing.

"What types of things do you ask?" She asked leaning in and then she made a show of looking around to make sure no one would hear us. Then she gestured my close and cupping her hands together over my ear whispered, "Don't worry I won't tell anyone." She was acting like she really wanted to know what my questions were and that confused me.

"Are you sure you won't get mad?" I asked now getting a little scared. If father heard that I was asking those "bad" questions to a complete stranger her would get so mad that id be afraid that the house would blow up.

"I promise." She said putting her right hand over her chest. That was enough for me even though I didn't know why she was putting her hand on her chest. I figured that meant she really meant it.

"If my blood is red and a muggles blood is red and even the mudbloods have red blood why is my blood any better? They don't look like there blood is dirty to me." I said honestly and flinched waiting for the scolding that was sure to come from that question. I just knew I shouldn't have asked it. I just should have kept it to myself and…

"That's an easy question." Said Auntie Andy looking relieved. "It isn't, your blood is just the same as everyone else. Some people just like to think there better than others when in the reality we're all the same."

"I knew it!" I yelled jumping up and doing a little happy dance. Then I remembered where I was and my manners, that I had conveniently thrown out the window, and blushed sitting back down.

"You seem like a nice, smart girl, Cassie," She said. Oh know I knew this was too good to be true. She is gonna tell my father! I knew it, Law number two in the book to surviving as a Malfoy. _Never Trust Anyone_.

She was looking right into my eyes when what she said next shocked me. "I want you to promise me that you will never call anyone the name "Mudblood" again. It's mean and cruel and like you just said. Everyone's blood is red. There's isn't any dirtier than yours."

I had never even thought of that! "Okay Aunty Andy! I promise." I said repeating what she had done and putting my right hand over my heart.

"Good," She said smiling and ruffling my hair. "I'm going to go now, I need to get back to my family. It is Christmas after all." She said still smiling. She reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a small pouch. "Here's some Flu powder. I wrote my address down on a slip of paper in the bag. Don't tell your father I gave it to you." She said. "Come and Visit me anytime you have a question." She said laughing as she winked and disaperated away.

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I did go and visit Auntie Andy all the time after that. Her Daughter Nymphadora was in school for most of my visits and soon I began not only questioning my father but voicing my opinions. Father wasn't too happy about that and I was yelled at a lot but at least I was thinking for myself, Even if my life was now walking on glass. Unlike my brother Draco who believed anything he was told. He was their perfect child. Mother and Father loved him and he did everything right. I asked too many questions and did the right thing… but not in there eyes.

Auntie Andy told me not to worry about it, and that she would always be there for me that she loved me even if they didn't.

Then on my tenth birthday, August 5th, we got an owl. It said that there had been a terrible accident and that Auntie Andy had been hit by a drunk driver while she was walking home.

My mother, no matter how much she hated her sister was still upset. She pulled me aside and told me off for thinking we were the same as muggles. It was because of muggles' and there stupidity that Aunty Andy was gone.

She was right. The only person that had ever loved me was gone, because of a stupid muggle. I didn't even cry when I got the news. I just locked myself in my room. I refused to leave or talk. I didn't even leave to see Draco off to the Hogwarts Express for his first year of school.

I kept on having nightmares about cars crashing into people. The worst was when it was Auntie Andy. In the nightmare she would call for me to help her. And every time I would get there a second too late.

Her blood was red.

But so was the driver's.

_Sometimes good people die young._

AN: _Hey so this is my first Harry Potter fic. I was writing it a little diffrently but my computer fried so i had to start over. Let me know if its worth continuing..._


	2. Planning Operation Graveyard

_**An:**__ So I am going to continue with this. Its really just the product of someone with an over active imagination and no social life (at the moment) who happens to be having a boring summer vacation. I'm going to be honest though. I don't really like this chapter. Please let me know what you think… but I know most people skip author notes (I'm guilty of that too) so I'll shut up now. __**No Flames Please… and thank you to everyone that reviewed**__. (that's all I wrote this for to say in the first place.) Specail thanx go to my Beta Momiji'sunusedhalo._

_I hope it's good._

**Disclaimer:** ( I forgot this last time) I own nothing and am dirt poor (not really)… so if anything famous is mentioned chances are I don't own it. Like Harry Potter- Not mine.

000000000000000 Planning Operation Graveyard

By the time Christmas came around I still hadn't uttered a word. I did everything I was told. It's sad, but it was like a piece of me had died with her. I tried to act like everything was normal, but I just couldn't bring myself to say anything that I knew would get me into trouble again. I didn't even go to Aunty Andy's funeral. In short my life was boring.

I felt like I needed closure somehow, But mother was hardly going to take me to the graveyard and I wouldn't want her there with me anyways. I wanted to talk to her and pretend that she could here me even if it was only for a minute.

That's when I came up with the plan. During our annual Christmas party, I was going to sneak out and go to Aunty Andy's grave. I heard it mentioned that she was in some Wizard's graveyard south of London. I had also heard of something called The Knight Bus. It was worth a shot. No one would notice me missing for an hour or two. It's not like I was going to be talking, anyways.

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Draco came home for the Holidays and was praised for becoming the next Slytherin, for keeping the family's tradition alive. If you ask me traditions are made to be broken. Part of me really hates Slytherin, because that means that I would have to keep on pretending to have the same views as the rest of my family. The other half is scared shitless of what my father would do if I broke that tradition. He was a death eater after all.

I was hiding in my room the entire day that Draco was supposed to be coming home. My room is nothing special really. The walls were blue and I had a big, white four-poster bed. I also had a walk in closet, bookshelves along most of the walls and my desk in the corner. There was also a big double window on the outside wall with a window seat. I had all of my favorite things on one of the bookshelves. The rest were just full of expensive junk that my father had bought me for bragging rights. Like I said, nothing big.

As soon as he was home, Draco came up to my room. Personally, I think that older brothers were made just to annoy little sisters like me. Apparently, he had a very eventful first semester at school. He made himself right at home plopping down in the middle of my bed and barely missing the book that I had placed there. He might not care if he ruins my favorite book, but I do.

I glared at him. But I still wasn't talking to anyone at that point so I couldn't really tell him off.

He just brushed my glare off and went of describing school. "And then I told Filch that some Gryfindors were going to in the Trophy room at midnight. They went too. They were stupid enough to actually show. I have no clue how they didn't get caught." He drawled, bragging about how he'd tricked Harry and his friend Ron into meeting him for a wizards duel.

_They probably escaped because they actually have brains, unlike you!_ I thought angrily, but just kept the pleasant smirk on my face. I was laughing at my own jokes but Draco thought I was laughing at Potter's stupidity.

"And then, you'll never believe this, a Troll got into the castle on Halloween. I wish I coulda seen it. I heard it almost took Potter out, but he got lucky again. I wish it did get him, would have done the world a favor." He continued his long uninterrupted drawl.

_I seriously doubt that._ I thought angrily, about the 'done the world a favor' comment. I continued to ignore him only catching bits and pieces of what he was saying.

"And then he made the Quiddich team, do you believe that!?" He asked in an outrage. "He breaks the damn bloody rules about flying when madam hooch was gone and he gets rewarded!"

_Oh and you were on the ground?_ I thought sarcastically. _Didn't you just say you had been flying and he flew up to meet you?_

I rolled my eyes and sighed, he was never going to leave me alone.

"What?" he asked upset that I had interrupted his story. "Mother said you haven't talked since your birthday, why?" He stated, looking at me confused and annoyed.

I just shrugged brushing the question off. To be honest, I didn't even have an answer to that question myself. I hadn't even tried to talk. Believe me, being a selective mute is a lot harder than it sounds. But I don't even know that I could talk if I tried.

"Don't you want to talk again?" He asked more annoyed.

I shook my head no. Thought about it for a second, and shrugged. I did want to talk again, just not right now.

"What?" He asked disbelievingly. "Just think of all the insulting and bragging your missing!"

I smiled to myself. If only he knew I was insulting people all the time, they just don't hear it. But then again, only my family would find insulting people fun, I liked insulting my family. They could be really thick sometimes.

I glared at him and picked up my book flipping open to my bookmark. I really did want to get back to my book. You see, while I was stuck in my room all depressed for months I had read everything in the library. Well our library, which is quite large. I will admit though I had skipped a few of the sketchier titles. Or any of the dark magic spell books that I was sure were against the law.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" He asked getting annoyed.

I shook my head and lead back into my pillows.

"What are you reading anyways," He questioned grabbing the book from my hands. "_The Hobbit_, I've never heard of it. Sounds stupid. Is it one of those muggle books that father burned?" He asked, not even pretending to care.

That summer, not even a week after Aunty Andy's death, father had come into my room only to find me reading a copy of Romeo and Juliet. I had gotten it from Aunty as an early birthday present. I don't think that she actually expected me to read some of them for a while, or at least not understand them. Especially considering I was only turning 10. Father wasn't happy that I was filling my head with stupid muggle stories and burned them all. This was the one book I had managed to save because I had hidden it in the space between my bookshelf and the wall.

I just shrugged and grabbed for my book back. He took pleasure in taunting me and holding it just outside of my reach.

"You know I don't really like your attitude." He drawled.

I glared at him and crossed my hands over my chest, pretending to pout.

"Oh alright, I've got better things to do anyways." He said trying to convince me that he was actually going to do something. It must be boring coming home after being able to spend 24/7 with your friends for four months. Especially when the closest thing to fun you can do at our house is try and sneak into fathers study without getting caught.

I winced as he slammed my door shut. I really should attempt at being nice to Draco. I mean it's not his fault that Father's ways have rubbed off onto him. He is my brother after all. And I didn't even say goodbye to him when he left for school.

As I opened my book my thoughts began to wonder. What if I was put into Slytherin? Would I really be able to make friends in a house full of people just like my family? How long was I really gunna be able to keep this act of being the same as them up? I really do need to start talking again.

This was gunna be a long, eventful Holiday.

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It was the day of the party, and for some reason Draco had kept quiet about my book. I was nervous about tonight, and not because of the normal reasons.

Tonight was the night I was going to visit Aunty Andy again. Well, her grave. I was calling it Operation Graveyard, and I kept on running through my plans in my head. I knew that no matter what I did and what I planned, something was going to go wrong. Murphy's Laws were always at the front of my mind these days. Expect the unexpected. The only thing was that I didn't know what the unexpected was.

Operation Graveyard was going to take place at 7:30 pm. That would mean that no one would really be looking for me because the guests had been there for a full two and a half hours. Everyone should be preoccupied with small talk and bragging about which gifts they bought whom, by then.

I only had another four and a half hours to go. _Nothing could possibly go wrong with this plan_. I was trying to convince myself, but to no avail. I was putting my dress on two hours early. Mother always says that a real lady needs all that time to get ready. If it were up to me I would be wearing sweat pants. They're much more comfortable. Mother would have a cow if she knew what I was thinking.

This year, I was wearing a black dress with one red and one green ribbon on the ends of my breaded pigtails. That was my favorite hairstyle. Mother wasn't happy with the color I had chosen to wear to a Christmas party. But she wore black dresses all the time, so its not like she could complain that much.

"Cassie, come down here! I want you to meet one of my friends from school!" Draco called. _Could he really be loud enough!?_

It had better not be Crabbe or Goyle! They had been coming over the house as long as I can remember, and a cricket has more brains than both of them… combined.

As I walked down stairs, I saw a boy about Draco's age with black hair and a bit stronger of a build.

"This is Blaise," Draco drawled. "Blaise, this is Cassie. She hasn't spoken since August so don't expect much." _Oh great introduction Draco._

I stuck my hand out for a shake, right under Blaise's nose. He took it and kissed it, _gross_. Well, he is obviously a lady's man. _Yuck, there's spit all over my hand!_

Draco was laughing at me. I'm not sure if it's because of the face I made, or because I was frantically trying to rub Blaise's spit off of my hand. I ran over to Draco and tried to rub it off on him, because he was laughing at me. _Payback can be a bitch._

"Ew, get away from me!" He yelled as I chased him around the room.

"Children, I expected better from you!" That was a voice that made us both stop in our tracks. "And in front of guest too!" Father wasn't too happy at our behavior. I just looked at the ground with my hands clasped loosely behind my back. The innocent look, you might call it. Or rather the guilty but sorry look, now that I think about it.

I looked up only to see Blaise in the corner of the parlor laughing silently. He was laughing so hard that he was clutching his sides.

I wanted to make a smart remark, but no one would hear it anyways.

"Sorry Father, It won't happen again." Draco said quietly.

"See that it doesn't," Father hissed as he left the room, glaring at me, to yell at the house elves. He always get meaner around the holidays, I think it's stress from parties.

As soon as he was gone I wiped my hand off on Draco's shirt. The face he made was priceless. I started laughing silently.

"You think that's funny do you?" asked Draco pissed.

I shook my head yes.

"Why you little," He hissed but before he could finish I ran out of the room.

_You never get a second chance at a first impression._

I had definitely made a first impression. I can't wait till I go to Hogwarts and make my own friends.

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I hid out in the library reading, _So you want to be friends with a Vampire?_ by Matilda Brandshire, for the fifth time, until 5'oclock. The time where I had to go and greet the guests.

I went downstairs and stood next to Draco. You could say that I followed him around like a lost puppy as he made his way over to his friends. I was already sick of this party before it had begun.

"And then I was like, he is so mine, but she was all, he's been my boyfriend for like ever," That was my bother's friend's sister. I think her name begins with an S, but I didn't really know. She was a 3rd year

I wanted to cut out of the conversation and say, "As stimulating as this conversation is I can feel my brain rotting away as we speak," But once again I just couldn't find my voice.

Finally after what seemed like forever the clock in the parlor hit 7:30.

"Hey Cassie come over here for a second," Draco called.

_For the love of Merlin, Does he have nothing better to do then bug the hell out of me?_

I smiled and walked over to him. Turns out he thought that I looked lonely over by the door, by myself. Well, at least I know that Big Brother is always watching.

After about 10 minutes I yawned and motioned that I a going to sit down in the chair. He just nodded and continued talking to his friends about racing brooms and money and what not.

_If I ever become one of those brainless bimbos I think that I'll kill myself_, I thought dangerously.

I slipped out of the door unnoticed and began walking down the street. It was then that I began to really get worried about what I was doing. If I got caught, I would be dead meat. Not only was I leaving the party but I was also sneaking out. Oh, if Aunty Andy could see me now.

Once I was far enough away from the manor, I decided to call the Knight Bus. You just hold up your wand hand right? I hope you don't need a wand in it because I don't have mine yet.

I lifted up my right and nervously looked around.

_Bang!_

In front of me was a big bright purple triple Decker bus. The gold lettering on the side spelled out _The Knight Bus._

Almost immediately a young wizard with a lot of pimples jumped out of the bus and infront of me.

"Hello, and welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard, just stick out your wand hand. Step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike and I will be your Conductor for this evening." He said monotonously reading off of a little card.

He tucked the card in the front pocket of his purple uniform and looked out strait. Then realizing that I was short, looked down. "Well, come on in then," He said, gesturing for me to come inside. I followed him in.

"Well where are you headed, girlie?" Asked Stan impatiently. It was then that I realized I had hit my first roadblock. How was I supposed to tell him where to go when I couldn't even say my own name?

"Well?" He asked. "Aren' choo going to tell me where your headed?" I shook my head yes, and then bit my lip. _This was going to be difficult._

I made the motion of writing in the air infront of me. "You want to write it down?" He guessed confidently. I nodded eagerly. "Well, why didn't choo say so? I'm no good at charades." He muttered shaking his head. He led me to one of the half dozen brass bed sets that lined up on the floor instead of chairs. Actually, he led me to the first bed and the closest one to the driver. _I just sat down on the very edge of the bed. Who knows who actually slept in it? _I looked at he pillow, only to see it covered in yellow spit stains. _Gross._

"Well, we can use last week's paper," he said as the bus began to drive, throwing the week old paper over his head and into my lap. Then he looked around scratching his head. "Choo have anythin' to write with?" He asked hopefully. I shook my head no.

"Well this complicates things a bit," He said, getting down on the ground and looking under the beds as they all shifted to the right with a violent turn. I must say it looked kind of funny when one of the beds ran him over and he let out a funny "ooof" noise. "Well there are no quills or anythin' down there." He said standing up and rubbing his back.

"This is our driver Ernie Prang, by the way." He said gesturing to the old man who was driving the bus. "Hey, Ern choo have anythin' to write with?" He asked hopefully. "I don't think that this girlie 'ere talks." He explained as he continued to look around.

"Well, I think that I might have something somewhere," Ern wheezed. _Should he really be driving?_ He looked around and that's when I saw it he had an inch long pencil tucked behind his ear. He let go of the steering wheel and checked under his armpits. _He really shouldn't be driving._ I grabbed Stan's sleeve from where he was currently trying to look under a pile of old prophets, and pointed at Ern's ear smiling.

"Oi, your ear Ern." Stan shouted.

"Ah, that's where I put it," Said Ern, putting his hands back on the wheel just in time to take a violent left turn. Once again, all of the beds shifted to the other side of the bus. Much more of this and I'd be loosing my lunch.

"Ere' we go girlie." Said Stan sitting next to me on the bed and handing me the pencil stub. "Now where 'bouts were you headed?"

"_Gareth's Wizarding Graveyard_." I wrote on the corner of the Profit next to an add for Invisa Bills vanishing cream.

"Hey Ern, Choo know where 'bouts Gareth's Wizarding Graveyard is?" Stan asked.

"'Coarse I do," Ern wheezed while switching gears. "Got a few family members there me' self." _How many is a few?_

"_How much is this going to cost?"_ I wrote tugging on Stan's purple sleeve again.

"Oh yeah I almost f'got, that'll be 12 sickles. But for 16 you can get a 'ot chocolate and for…"

I cut him off by handing him the money, just the 12 sickles. "Well, that works too," He said counting the money and putting it into a little pouch hanging off of his coat.

"_You know putting your money there just makes the robbers' jobs easier_." I wrote and thrust the paper at him.

"You know I never woulda' thought of tha'," Stan said reading my note. "You're right!"

I just chuckled silently.

"Choo in school yet?" He asked conversationally. Most people think I look younger than I am, but I guess not everyone still thinks I'm eight years old.

I shook my head no and took the paper back writing, "_Next year_."

"I bet you're a Ravenclaw, I was a Hufflepuff me self." He said proudly. "Oh, I f'got my manners? What's your name?" Oh no, I didn't want to leave behind any evidence of where I was going. Oh well the cats out of the bag now.

I took the paper and scribbled, "_Cassie"_.

"Tha' it? Tha's your full name?" He asked, obviously he was a very nosey person. This was the perfect job for him.

"_Well, is your full name Stan?"_ I wrote smirking as he read it aloud.

"Well, No actually its Stanley, a family name really, it was the name of my Great Grandfather, my Great-Great Grandfather, and so on." He said, explaining the history of his name.

"Well, enough about me. Why's a little girl such as yourself going to a graveyard on chris'mas?" He asked. _I was right, he is nosey. _

"_Visiting my Aunt."_ I wrote down truthfully.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't 'ave asked," Stan said regretfully, knowing it must be a touchy subject. I just nodded sadly.

Suddenly we came to such a sudden stop that all of the beds were squished together as close to the front as they could go, and I was on the floor.

"Sorry, Cat crossing the road." Ern explained. "Best go wake Mr. Strange now Stan, there's a good lad. We'll be in Knockturn ally in a minute." Wheezed Ern.

"Righto," Said Stan, as he left to wake this Mr. Strange.

"We'll be at the Graveyard in no less than 4 minutes." Ern told me wheezing.

_4 minutes, that could seem a lot longer on this bus. _


	3. Jealous Brothers Graveyards and Books

An: Ha so I've finally got three chapters! Just a little thing I would like to mention… Some of my story will be almost the same as the book, it kinda runs parallel without being with the trio… most of the time. I haven't even started the next chapter so it might be a little while (like Monday or Tuesday). Thank you so much to **hey-Meredith** for reviewing again. And my friend **numbah1Hpfan** of course. On with the story!

Disclaimer: Not me Not mine (I wish)

000000000000000 Jealous Brothers Graveyards and Books

"Well, 'ere's your stop girlie." Stan said as the Bus skidded to a stop yet again. I nodded, I didn't really know how to say thank you wordlessly.

"Anytime," Stan said as he opened the door for me. I waved goodbye once I was on the ground. He too, waved as the bus pulled away and disappeared.

I turned around to see the big black iron fence. It was one of those fences from the Victorian era with spikes at the top and a big gate with an open lock in the middle. The arch at the top on the gate spelled out the words _Gareth's Graveyard_, in silver.

_What am I doing? I'm at a dark graveyard in the middle of the night, Alone! _I bit my lip as I walked up to the gate and pushed it open. There was no point in turning back now. The squeaking of the old rusted hinges in the silent night made me cringe. As I walked through the rows of graves I realized just how cold it was. I shivered as I looked at my breath. I should have changed out of my short sleeve dress or at least grabbed a jacket before I left.

That was when I realized I had hit roadblock number two. I didn't have a clue where her grave would be. Murphy's laws were definitely against me. I decided that my best bet would be to look at each one. I began my search walking down a path and looking at the death dates and names.

_This is Hopeless!_ I thought angrily after what seemed like hours of searching, but what in reality was only about half an hour. I kicked a stone into a nearby grave, in frustration. The grave had an angel with clasped hands looking up on top of it. I was just about to walk by it when I noticed the name.

As luck would have it I had accidentally kicked the rock into Aunty Andy's grave. I would have thought I would be happy to finally find it but then I remembered why it was there in the first place.

A drunk driver had run her over and she had broken her promise to be there forever. As mad as I was that she was gone I just couldn't bring myself to be mad at her now. For the first time since Aunty Andy's death a single tear fell down my face. I walked closer to the grave and my fingers touched the engravings.

_Great mother, Great Wife, Great friend… she will be missed, May she Rest in Peace._

Great aunt and Great sister, let alone _Great Person_ should have been added to the list. As I lifted my fingers away from the cold gray stone, I finally let the tears that I had been holding for so long fall. I must have cried myself to sleep, because the next thing I knew I was waking up.

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When I woke up I looked around, only to realize I had no clue where I was. Everywhere was black, everything was black. The only thing I could see was the gray mist rising from the non-existent blackness below me. Where there should have been a floor was nothing.

I gulped and closed my eyes. _This couldn't be happening. It was just a really bad dream._ I opened one eye only to see that every thing was the same as when I had closed them. _A really really bad dream_.

"This can't be happening," I said to myself as I took a step forward cautiously, looking around and only seeing more haze.

That's when I saw it a light. "Oh no, I'm dead!" I cried. "I'm too young to die, I don't wanna see what's in the light at the other end of the tunnel!" I yelled louder. The only problem was I didn't have to move towards the light, because it seemed to be moving towards me.

_Let me tell you something. I was scared out of my wits. How many times can someone say they were trapped in a dark abyss being chassed by a light_? This was not the way I pictured spending my Christmas. I wanted to run from it, but something was telling me to stay. I really should be listening to my brain not my gut, but hey my brain knows nothing about this place.

Cautiously I took a step forward. There was something about that light that seemed familiar. Something that was drawing me to it, as well as it to me. As the light got closer it grew in size, until it stopped not even five feet in front of me. I took another step forward cautiously, ignoring the voice in my head that was screaming at me to leave. To high tail it out of there and never look back. To get back to what was familiar. As I got closer I began to recognize the shape of a person.

With one last step I could finally see who that person was. It was Aunty Andy. She was smiling and looking down at me. When she talked her voice sounded the same, but different. It sounded almost like the tinkling of bells had been added.

"Hello Cassie," She said still smiling.

"Am I dead?" I asked cautiously stepping backwards.

Aunty Andy frowned as she pondered how to answer what I thought was a simple question. "No, of course your not dead, do you remember dying?"

"Well, no, I was touching your grave stone and I think I fell asleep then, I was here. Where is here, to be exact?" I questioned. This was obviously some cruel joke my family was playing on me. This was their payback for me sneaking out.

"Here, is nowhere." She replied.

"If it is nowhere, than how am I here?" I asked smartly smirking. _Two could play that game._

"Well, it is somewhere, but not somewhere people go very often. It isn't a place one often sees a living and breathing person walking about."

"If people don't come here often than who do?" I asked curiosity getting the better of me.

"Oh, people do come here. This as you may have guessed is the bridge between life and death." _Confusing much?_

"What?"

"Normally we only get the coma patients and the people with near death experiences. When they're technically dead and somehow become alive again." She continued as though I hadn't said anything. _My brain hurts._

"Well, I am neither, so what am I doing here if I'm not dead?" I asked now really confused.

"My guess would be your dreaming." Said Aunty confidently.

"Trust me even my dreams aren't this creepy," I said more to myself then to her. She laughed and once again the sound reminded me of tinkling bells.

"I've been watching you, Miss Cassiopeia Cleopatra, Why aren't you talking?" She said scolding me. _Great, I'm the only person I know that gets scolded by dead people._

"I just have nothing to say." I said hopefully looking at me feet and shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. Not walking on anything was really starting to creep me out.

"Try again," She said crossing her arms.

"Nobody cares anymore, and you're the one that broke your promise!" I yelled. I knew I was acting like a four year old, but I couldn't help it.

Aunty Andy's face seemed to soften a bit. "I never broke my promise," she said sadly.

"Yes, you did, you left me with them!" I cried, talking about my family. Tears were streaming down my face.

She winced. "I may have left you with them, but I didn't leave you. I've been watching over you and Nymphadora all along."

"How?" I asked disbelievingly wiping off of my now tearstained face.

"Well I fly down there everyday!" She announced happily.

"Fly how?" I asked confused. _Did they have brooms in heaven?_

"Why with these of course." she announced unfolding a pair of beautiful white wings that were as tall as she was. They even seemed to sparkle in the light emitted from them.

"There beautiful." I commented.

"Yes they are. I love to fly down and see you, especially when something big is going to happen."

"How do you know when something big is going to happen?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, its something that comes with the wings," She said sadly.

"Do you really come and see me?" I asked eagerly.

"All the time." Was her simple answer.

"How come I never…"

"See me, why of course you can't, I'm dead. I'm completely invisible and unable to change anything that happens in your world. Not even the ghost can see me." She explained.

"Now off to your world now, its not healthy to be hanging around here too long… shoo." She said ushering me away.

"But I don't know how to…" Suddenly a silent scream was caught in my throat as I fell through the nothingness.

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When I woke up again I was on the ground near Aunty Andy's grave_. I've had some weird dreams in the past, but this one takes the cake. Curse this over-active_ _imagination._ I stood up, immediately panicking.I didn't know what time it was._ I'm telling you Murphy's laws hate me! Who else can fall asleep in a graveyard? I'm loosing my marbles. Not to mention I just had the weirdest dream, but that's all it was… a dream_. I thought trying to convince myself that it never happened.

"By Aunty Andy," I said hastily. My voice weak and raspy from not using it for so long. The lump in my throat seemed to have vanished. I waved to her gravestone and took off at a run. As soon as I got back to the road I flagged down the Knight Bus again.

"Welcome to the Knight… Well 'ello girlie come on in, Back so soon?" Asked Stan helping me back into the bus. I just nodded. No need to talk too much, not just yet anyways.

"Where to now?" Asked Stan. I just gave him the same amount of money as before.

"To where you picked me up." I whispered.

Stan's eyes seemed to bug out of his head because I had spoken. I looked around. No one else was on the bus right now, as far as I knew.

I went to the nearest bed and pretended to sleep on top of the covers, as the bed began to slide. It worked, Stan didn't ask me a single question.

When I got to my stop I started my walk home, brushing the dirt off of my dress. It's a good thing I had worn black. I was shivering by the time I got home and I opened the door slowly as to not attract anyone's wandering eyes.

Just as I was about to congratulate myself on the success of Operation Graveyard I felt a hand on my shoulder and spun around. "Where have you been?" Asked my mother rudely as soon as I stepped in the door. _Busted._

"I just went for a walk, needed some fresh air, sorry Mother." I said quietly.

She seemed shocked that I had spoken, and it took her a second to recover. "Just don't do it again, and I won't tell your father." She said kindly. Looking in her eyes I thought I saw a flicker of happiness. I was speaking again. Father would probably be angry, not because I was talking, but because I would begin to argue and fight more.

Things were finally getting back to the way they were supposed to be.

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About a month or so after Christmas, we had gotten an owl. Apparently mother and father's 'golden boy' had finally screwed up, and landed himself in detention. In his letter to me, _who knows why he wrote to me_, he said that while he was in the forest they saw a sort of weird cloaked thing in the forest and it was feeding off of unicorn blood. That if you ask me is just plain creepy.

Other than that, I hated my life. It was the same thing every day. Mother would take me shopping after breakfast and then we would come home after I was forced to try on a few ridiculous looking and expensive outfits.

We'd get home and she would ignore me and I would ignore her. Then father would come home and we would eat dinner. I would say something smart at the end of dinner and father would send me to my room for the rest of the night.

One night about two months before Draco was to be coming home, I snuck out of my room. I could hear raised voices coming from my father's study he was talking about some plan and my mother was trying to talk him out of it.

"It's what he wanted!" My father yelled at my mother. _What who wanted?_

"But think of the children, they'll both be at school next year!" my mother cried.

"It won't hurt them, only the filthy little Mudbloods." _What won't hurt purebloods?_

"But what if something does happen?" My mother asked hysterically.

"It won't," my father said in a voice that said that that was the end of the discussion.

Something bad was going to happen at Hogwarts next year! _What was I going to do?_

I bit my lip as I heard a chair scuffing against the wood floor, and sprinted back to my room.

"I can't let anyone get hurt!" I said to myself as soon as I was back in my room.

"Who's going to get hurt, miss?" asked an annoyingly high pitched little voice from the side of my room.

"What are you doing in my room?" I asked outraged at the tiny elf that was eves dropping on me. I will admit it did scare me to have someone talk to me that I didn't even know was there.

"Just the laundry, miss," He answered obediently.

I sighed, what would it hurt telling him; maybe it will help me sort things out. "Something horrible is going to happen at Hogwarts next year Dobby, The way

Mother was talking about it I'm afraid that someone might actually die." I said to the horribly annoying little elf.

"Will Harry Potter Sir, get hurt as well, miss?" He asked horridly. Even the house elves respect the right people. Harry did do the world of house elves a favor, just not Dobby.

"I don't know Dobby, just go away." I said huffing, as I lay back on my bed. "And don't tell anyone what I told you, or that I told you that." I added as an after thought. "And stay out of my ROOM!" I yelled.

"Of course not, miss. Right away, Miss," Dobby said before bowing and disappearing.

_Stupid House Elf._

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When Draco came home my routine was broken. You see, my father loves Draco so when Draco, aka: the golden boy, is home he acts a bit more… fatherly. I think that he doesn't like me because I ask too many questions.

We were all eating dinner and Draco was telling us about that 'Saint Potter' again.

"He gets a bloody broom just because he's bloody famous and he's got a bloody cut on his forehead. Stupid Potter and his stupid scar get away with everything." Draco complained. You know if it were I complaining I would have been sent to my room ages ago.

"We know Draco, you only mentioned it about a half a dozen times… today. Jealous much?" I asked venomously. He just never shuts up. Get him on a rant and you'll be listening to the same thing for months.

"Enough Cassiopeia!" Hissed father from across the table; even though I'm fairly certain that he was sick of Draco's rant too. Draco was just glaring at me.

"Well it's true," I complained under my breath. People are always jealous about what they can't have. Personally I was glad that Harry had foiled the Dark Lord's plans to come back. The rest of my family wasn't as happy. The Dark Lord just sounds like a big bully if you ask me, but a lot meaner. He formed a new version of the Ku Klux Clan; he isn't even original.

Mother decided it was best to change the subject. "I heard the Minister has been conducting more raids, you don't think that they would come here do you?" She asked father worriedly.

"No, but better safe than sorry," father insisted. "I'll make a list of…questionable items to sell to Mr. Borgin." I shivered that man gave me the creeps. Not to mention what he sold in his store. "The rest, well, we'll hide the more valuable objects under the drawing room. No one will ever look there, it'll be fine." He told mother comfortingly.

The only reason father would sell was because he was getting scared. I knew that, what I didn't know was if the whole family would be sent to Azkaban if they did find something. That scared me.

"When are you going to sell it?" My mother asked, a bit more persistently this time.

"I don't know dear, these things take time," He answered curtly returning to his food.

Changing the subject yet again my mother turned to me. "So, Cassiopeia, are you excited about Hogwarts next year now that you've heard all about it from Draco?"

"Well of course mother," I answered honestly.

"I for one can't wait to have another Slytherin in the family," She stated proudly beaming at me. She had the faith that I would be a Slytherin, just like everyone else in the family had been… I only wish she didn't. Ravenclaw sounds much more my speed, which was Aunty Andy's house.

"Draco why don't you go practice flying with your sister, after dinner?" father suggested. He couldn't be serious! Does he not remember the last time I was on a broom? I had fallen off 50 feet above the ground, when I was only 6. Now I'm scared to death of heights and won't go anywhere near a broom. Is he really that observant? I suppose I should be grateful, at least he's trying to care… a little bit.

Draco almost choked on his food. "Are you kidding, even I know that she won't go anywhere near a broom. Anyways, who said I _need_ to practice?" He asked, sounding offended. "If Potter can make the Quidditch team, then the spot is already mine!" _Here we go again._

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Father didn't make the list to give Mr. Borgin for another month. By the time he had it ready I had received my Hogwarts letter. I kept it with me at all times as if it were my very life. In a way it was… It was my ticket out.

I read it everyday. I practically had it memorized. We were going to Diagon Alley tomorrow to pick up the supplies and give Mr. Borgin the list. I wasn't itching to go down Knockturn Alley again, but Draco was excited. At least that makes one of us.

The day before we went to Diagon Ally my Godfather came for a quick visit I think it was just to congratulate me on getting my letter, and catch up with mother and father. I wouldn't know, I just greeted uncle Severus, and went back to my room. He's not really my uncle I just started calling him that after Draco did. Today I was reading _Break with a Banshee_ by Gildaroy Lockhart. It wasn't one of my favorites, but it gave me something to do.

I must have fallen asleep before he left, because the next thing I knew it was morning and Mother was yelling at me to get ready to go to Diagon Ally.

As soon as we got to the door of Borgin and Burkes I was wishing I were somewhere else. That place is just too creepy.

Father crossed the shop lazily glancing uninterestedly at the items on display before ringing the bell for Mr. Borgin. "Touch nothing, children."

Draco who was eyeing a creepy glass eye complained immediately, "But I thought you said you were going to buy me a present." He insisted.

"Why would you want anything from here, its sooo creepy?!" I asked disbelievingly.

"I said I would buy you a racing broom," Father said annoyed as he drummed his fingers impatiently on the counter top.

"What good is that if I don't make the house team," he asked sulkily.

"What happened to Mr. Confidence?" I asked sarcastically and Draco shot me a glare.

"Harry Potter got a Nimbus 2000 last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor."

"Well, good for him. He must be talented." I said happily as Draco scowled than in an undertone I muttered. "Unlike you." Thankfully, no one heard me.

"He's not even that good!" Draco continued to complain. "It's just because he's famous… famous for having a stupid scar on his forehead." He continued looking at some more sketchy items. "Everyone thinks he's so smart. Wonderful Potter with his scar and his broomstick…"

"Jealous much?" I said as if asking the room at large.

"I am not jealous of ScarHead!" Draco complained.

"Mmhm," I hummed disbelievingly checking for non-existent dirt under my fingernails.

"She has a point Draco, you have told me this at least a dozen times already. And need I remind you that it is not … prudent… to appear less than fond of Harry Potter. Not when most of our kind regards him as the hero that made the Dark Lord disappear… Ah Mr. Borgin." Father stated as Mr. Borgin came into the room creepily. Everything about this place is creepy. He even smoothed his greasy hair back creepily as he addressed my father.

"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you yet again," He said… _his oily voice is even nastier than his hair._ "Delighted… and I see that you brought young master and mistress Malfoy as well, too… charming. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today reasonably priced…"

"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin. But selling." Father told him.

"Selling?" He asked and you could tell he was disappointed.

Father continued to explain about the raids and how some of the items at home might "Embarrass" him.

Mr. Borgin took out his handy pair of pince-nez and held them to his nose looking down the list.

"The ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?" Asked Mr. Borgin.

" I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the ministry grows ever more meddlesome. The rumors about the Muggle Protection Act… No doubt that flea bitten, Muggle loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it…"

I just tuned out the rest of the conversation trying to stand in the middle of the room away from everything that was the least bit creepy. You know, I doubt the Weasleys are that bad. Actually, the way father talks about them they must be good people. Poor yes, but good.

Draco asked for something and Mr. Borgin got excited rushing over and explaining it. _I thought that we were in here to get rid of Dark objects, not buy them._

Father then made some comment about Draco's grades being below Hermione Grangers.

"Don't be too hard on him father… We all know he has no brains." I taunted. Then as an afterthought I added. "Just because she's Muggle born doesn't mean she can't be smarter than a pure blood. She must study hard."

"That's enough from you," Father said annoyed.

After a few minutes of haggling with Mr. Borgin father was finally done.

"Come children," He ushered us out of the door.

I rushed out the door not even saying goodbye. I was so thankful to be out of that place I could have kissed the ground.

"Father?" I asked cautiously.

'What?" He asked annoyed.

"Can I go get my wand now?"

"Yes, come on Draco we're going to get your sister's wand."

Mr. Ollivander's reminded me of Mr. Borgin's. His shop was creepy, just a sort of friendly creepy. Unlike Mr. Borgin's, foreboding and illegal not to mention disgusting creepy.

The sign out front said Ollivander's makers of fine wands since 382 BC. _Well at least I know he's making them right if he's that old_, I thought sarcastically.

Once we got inside I saw the thousands of boxes of wands and immediately got nervous. _What if none of the wands worked for me?_ The wand does choose the wizard after all.

Father went to the front desk and waited impatiently. I stood by the door nervously and Draco made himself at home sitting in the one spindly chair.

"Well if it isn't Lucius Malfoy, what a pleasure! It seems like it was only yesterday you were in here buying your first wand," Mr. Ollivander said suddenly as if he had appeared from nowhere. "12 inches, maple, if I remember correctly and a dragon heartstring core, very good wand. And Young Draco Malfoy it was only last year we saw you. Mahogany and unicorn tail hair, 11 inches." _He sure can talk a lot. _

"Ah and here is Miss Cassiopeia, I wondered when I would be seeing you here. Let's see," He said pulling out his trusty tape measurer. "Hold out your wand hand," He commanded and I obediently held out my right hand.

The tape measurer immediately began measuring on its own and Mr. Ollivander went around taking down boxes. He seemed to have a dozen boxes before he told the tape measurer, which happened to be measuring the distance between my ear lobe and my arm pit, that he was done measuring.

"Try this," He said handing me a wand. "7 inches, Maple and phoenix feather quite whippy. Well, give it a wave." He urged.

I lamely shook the wand and nothing happened. I knew that you never get the right one on the first try, but I hope I find _one_!

"Here, 12 inches oak and unicorn hair," I took it and waved more enthusiastically this time, only to have nothing happen. Mr. Ollivander seemed to get more excited the more wands that rejected me. I think it's because he got to look through more of his wands, but he could just hate my father and not want me to get one at all.

We went on like that for just about 57 wands… but whose counting? Draco was complaining the whole time about how he didn't want to be here, and I was really getting hopeless before he pulled out a new wand. "Mahogany and phoenix feather 8 inches," he said.

As soon as I touched it I felt warmth under my fingers and as I waved it, purple sparks shot out of the end. _I wonder if the color of the sparks says anything._

"Oh bravo! Yes indeed we have a winner, what a show! Very good. This is a phoenix tail feather and Mahogany, very good for transfiguration and charm work. Excellent." Mr. Ollivander said happily clapping his hands. He took the wand from me and placed it back into its box. "That will be seven Galleons," He told my father with a wink at me. I wasn't really sure what the wink was for, but it made me more anxious to get out of the store. Yeah, Ollivander's might creep me out, just a bit.

"Finally, I thought they weren't even going to find one. Lets go get the books next." Draco drawled. He's so annoying. We didn't go through that many wands… I bet he went though more.

When we got to the bookshop I noticed that there was a rather large crowd of middle-aged women hanging about. A small sign at the front of the store read that Gildaroy Lockhart was signing his autobiography _The Magical Me_ from 12:30 to 4:30.

Well that explains the crowd I guess. I immediately went to go and get the books on my booklist. With all the reading I've done, Lockhart's books weren't that impressive. I tried to convince father that I could use some of Draco's old books, but he wouldn't have it. _I was just trying to save some trees._

"None of my children will have anything second hand!" He replied irritably. I just rolled my eyes and grabbed a copy of _The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1._ I proceeded to get all of my books while Draco went to see what the big fuss was about.

After I got all my books I looked around and saw a girl about my age at the edge of it all with a new caldron. I decided to go over and have a chat, because I was finished in this store.

"Hi," I said nervously.

"Hi," She answered happily.

"I'm Cassie," I said now smiling. If I didn't tell her my last name she wouldn't turn me away immediately. Maybe she could get to know me first.

"I'm Ginny," She said. So she must be a Weasley.

"So, are you going to be a first year as well?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm not nervous though because my brothers have told me all about it." She said excitedly.

"My brother told me about it too, but we don't exactly get along so I don't really believe much of it." I explained.

"What house do you want to be in? I want to be a Gryffindor like the rest of my family," She said nervously.

"Well, I want to be in Ravenclaw… But my whole family has been in Slytherin for ages." I explained sadly.

"Well, I'm sure that if you don't want to be a Slytherin, you won't be put there," She said encouragingly, but obviously still recovering from the fact that my entire family was dark wizards.

"Yeah, I hope so," I said sadly as a boy with black unruly hair came over and dumped his books in Ginny's cauldron. It was then that I noticed the scar on his fore head, it was Harry Potter.

"Here, you take these. I'll buy my own…" He started to say, when who should turn up but my jealous brother.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter?" Draco asked as Harry straitened up. "Famous Harry Potter, can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page!" He sneered.

"Leave him alone! He didn't want that at all!" Ginny said defending Harry and glaring at my brother.

"Oh look Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend." Draco drawled as Ginny went red.

Playing along, I said, "Oh look at that, they're a couple. Where's your boyfriend Draco?" I asked and it was his turn to go red.

"Why you little… I'm not…" He stared glaring at me.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ginny snigger. That was when I noticed another red head and a girl with bushy brown hair making theirs way towards us.

"Oh, it's you," The redheaded boy said looking at my brother as though he were the scum of the earth. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?" He asked. This must be Harry's friend Ron and the bushy brown haired girl must be Hermione.

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop Weasley," Draco retorted. "I suppose your family will go hungry for a month to pay for all of those," He said gesturing to the stacks of books both Ron and Ginny had. Ron went bright red and I turned on my brother slapping him across the face, while Harry and Hermione held Ron back.

"What was that for?" He asked angrily turning on me.

"Just for being a git!" I huffed angrily stomping away.

"Just wait till I tell father about this!" He threatened to my retreating back. That was when I saw father head for the group of Weasleys that had now accumulated. I went up to the counter to pay for my books.

I turned around just in time to see Mr. Weasley lunge at my father. I hope he knocks some sense into him. I rolled my eyes and watched from afar waiting to leave the store and finish my shopping.

_Secretly I was rooting for Mr. Weasley, his daughter defiantly seemed nice enough._


	4. Train Ride

Hey guys, sorry I took so long to update… I just had a lot going on and a mini writers block.. Let me know what house you think she's gonna be in… I already know… But I want to know what you're thinking just for kicks.

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"What in the world were you thinking?" Yelled father, so close to my face that I had to hold my breath. We were back at the manor by now, after hurriedly finishing the shopping. _In record time_, I might add.

"I wasn't." I yelled back, giving him the answers he wanted to hear. This was routine by now.

Father was pissed off at me because I had slapped Draco, and defended the Weasley's. He didn't think that the Weasleys were worth defending. Of course, it probably also had something to do with me being more worried about Mr. Weasley than him, after the fight. I didn't dare mention that I thought father deserved it.

_What goes around comes around._

"You're damn right you weren't thinking! We have had this conversation too many times to count. We don't associated with _blood traitors!_ And what about that little speech in Mr. Borgins! Why are you trying to embarrass the entire family? I am so disappointed in you! Where did we go wrong?" He yelled and, once again I was holding my breath. "Sometimes I think we would have been so much better off just having _one_ child." H said glaring at me with the two chips of ice that he called eyes.

I had tears in my eyes that would never fall. I wouldn't let him know he had gotten to me this time. I knew I was different than the family, but I didn't know I was so much of a disappointment that my parents wished I had never been born.

"Just got to your room and stay there," He added sitting down on one of the black leather coaches and putting a hand to his temple like I was giving him a headache.

"Yes father," I said monotonously turning to go to my room.

As soon as I got there I shut the door and locked it running to my bed. Just because I would never let anybody see me cry didn't mean I never would.

As much as I hated my family they were still just that my family. In every book I read families had an unconditional love for one and other. _I didn't have that. Why couldn't I have that? What had I done to deserve this life?_

Then as if I realized I was feeling sorry for myself again I changed my train of thought. If I was going to disgrace the family, no matter what I did, I might as well do what I want. It's not like anyone would actually care what happens to me.

That day, while I was crying alone in my room, was the first time I realized it. _I didn't have a family. Not really._

I cried myself to sleep that night. I spent the next week in my room. Only leaving to go to the bathroom. The only visitor I got was my brother when he came to remind me to pack, because the Hogwarts express left the next day.

When we got to the train station I tried to haul my trunk onto the train. Father was ignoring me and Draco was too wrapped up in talking to his friends.

"Come on!" I yelled angrily kicking the trunk as hard as I could, only succeeding in getting even more stuck on the stairs and stubbing my toe.

"Need some help?" Asked a girl with a dreamy voice. She looked about my age with long blonde hair.

"Yes, please," I said out of breath, and looking up at her from my crouched down position, where I was rubbing my toe.

"All right then!" She said grabbing the top half of my trunk. Even with two of us we struggled to get it onto the train.

"Well, I've got to go say goodbye to my Mother and Father," I said dejectedly.

"Me too," said the girl walking off.

"Good bye," I said to my parents who were fussing over Draco.

"Just a second Cassiopeia." Father said pulling a slip of paper out of his robes. "These are the only people in your year I want you associating with," he said, thrusting the paper into my hands.

"Goodbye to you too," I said sarcastically to his back and rolling my eyes.

"There you are dear," My mother said pulling me into a hug. "Make your father and I proud won't you?" She said almost lovingly then pushed me towards the train. Making them proud would be the one thing that would make my life miserable. _Being a Slytherin._

I got back onto the train slowly and went to find an empty compartment. I found one near the end of the train and looked over the list that was still in my hand. "What a joke… He can't honestly expect me to follow this?" I said rolling my eyes and putting the list down on the seat.

"Can I sit with you? Everywhere else is full." Exclaimed a rather familiar dreamy voice.

"Absolutely," I answered, a smile appearing on my face for the first time in what seemed like months. "I'm Cassie Ma-, Just Cassie," I said still smiling and putting my hand out for a shake.

"I'm Luna Lovegood," She said pulling a magazine out of her bag. Luna was wearing yellow converse and a short pink floral dress with white leggings and mismatched legwarmers. She was also wearing a pair of red radishes for earrings. She was one of those people who didn't care what the world thought of them.

"Anything good in there?" I asked referring to _The Quibbler_ that Luna was now reading.

"Oh yes! There has been another sighting of the crumplehorned snorkack!" Said Luna excitedly. I knew that _The Quibbler_ was rubbish, but dissing the magazine of the person your trying to relate to isn't the best way to make friends.

"Oh wow," I said faking mild excitement.

"My father is editor for _The Quibbler._" She told me proudly.

"That's great! He must love his job." I said conversationally. At least we weren't talking about the crumple horned snorkak anymore.

"Mhm," She said smiling brightly. "What's that?" She asked referring to the piece of parchment with the list of acceptable people to converse with sitting next to me as the train began to move.

"It's…" I started only to be interrupted by the compartment door bursting open. I looked over to see Ginny standing nervously in the doorway.

"Do you think I could sit with you?" She asked, but I couldn't help but notice she directed the question more at Luna than me. I pretended that that didn't sting. She wasn't as nice to me now that she had figured out my name. No doubt she had been warned that I would end up just like my brother.

"Sure," Said Luna distractedly turning back to me. Ginny sat down quietly by the door, Luna and I both being seated by the window.

"I'm Ginny, by the way." She told Luna.

"So what is it?" Asked Luna again.

"A list of people my father deems worthy of me associating with." I said rolling my eyes. "Give me a second will you?"

"Okay," She said looking up at me through wisps of her dirty blond hair over the top of her magazine.

I took the list and ripped it in half then in thirds and continued ripping it until it was nothing more than confetti. Ginny was just staring at me with her eyebrows raised.

I put the paper in my lap and slid the window open a crack. I sent the list out of the compartment and out of my life. Father no longer had a say in what I did. He didn't want me anyways.

"So what were we talking about?" I asked politely.

"I don't know… What house do you want to be?" she asked dreamily. "I want to be a Ravenclaw," She explained.

"Me too." I answered.

"What about you Ginny?" Asked Luna.

"I want to be Gryffindor like my family," She answered.

"That's nice," Luna answered picking up her magazine and beginning to read. We sat in silence for a while before the door burst open again.

"What are you doing in here!?" Yelled my brother, glaring at me.

"Sitting… you know its what you do when you bend your knees and…" I said sweetly like I was talking to a two year old.

"I know what your doing!" He yelled frustrated. "I meant I thought father _told_ you to stay away from people like…. _Them_." he said with disgust gesturing to Ginny.

"I happen to like _them_ more than _you_!" I said standing up and facing him in the doorway.

"You wouldn't want me to tell father about this would you?" He asked with a smirk.

"Why would I care what he thinks of me? In case you haven't noticed it's not like he's ever going to like me. Why bother trying?" I asked sweetly. That knocked the smirk off of his face.

"If you knew what was good for you, you wouldn't hang out with this lot." He said threateningly.

"And if you knew what was good for you, you would butt out of my life!" I yelled stomping on his foot and pushing him out of the compartment.

"Sorry about that," I said sadly at both Luna and Ginny's shocked faces. I just turned away from them. They obviously didn't like me anymore. I have too much of a temper and all it ever seems to do is rise lately.

I looked out the window unblinkingly for what seemed like hours then I saw it. I sat up strait and rubbed my eyes. "Bloody hell there's a flying car outside!" I yelled squinting with my face pressed to the window. Ginny woke up startled and came over to look while Luna looked up from her magazine.

"I don't believe it, that's my dad's car!" Ginny exclaimed putting her hands over her eyes. She took another look and recognized who was driving. "Ron stole dads car! He's gonna' have a earful from mum!" She said smiling slightly.

I burst out laughing, "Your mum is gonna' be the one yelling, when it was your dads car that was stolen?" I asked incredulously.

"Well you see it's my mum that does all the disciplining in my house, dad's the pushover." She explained smiling. Luna had already turned back to her magazine like a flying car was something she saw everyday.

I was laughing so hard by that time I was crying. "What's so funny? There gonna' die!" She exclaimed thrusting her hands up in the air to emphasize her point.

"They aren't even old enough to drive!" I said laughing. "How much you wanna' bet they can't land?" I asked.

At first Ginny laughed then she got scared. "I hope they don't get hurt!" She said once again looking out the window to see that they were gone.

"It must be nice," I said sadly.

"What? That they're gonna' crash?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"No, to have people worrying about you," I said sadly looking out the window.

"Your family doesn't worry about you?" Asked Ginny. I gave a bitter laugh.

"My family hates me. All I do is disgrace them. Father even told me a week ago that he wished I had never been born… Believe me if I had stolen a flying car no one would worry about me… just our family's public image." I said sadly.

"That's terrible," said Ginny. I had to laugh again. That one line just about summed everything up.

"Don't worry about it," I said smiling. "Is anyone else starving or is it just me?" I asked the compartment.

"You both missed the snack trolley it went by about an hour ago while you were day dreaming and you were sleeping," Said Luna not taking her eyes away from her magazine. "I hope there's pudding at the feast." She said absently.

Ginny and I shared a look of confusion.

"Yeah me too," I said awkwardly. I saw Luna's lips twitch slightly like she was holding back a smile. "Pudding is a fun word to say isn't it?" I asked. "Puding… Pudd-ing… Pudding!" I said absently and Ginny burst out into giggles.

"Yes it is a fun word to say," agreed Luna. "What's your favorite kind of pudding?"

"Um, Vanilla?" Said Ginny as if it were more a question than a statement.

"Really? My favorite is Yorkshire pudding!" Said Luna brightly.

_Does that even count as pudding_? I made a fake gagging noise.

Luna didn't notice and continued. "But really I love all kinds of pudding, it's my favorite food!"

"Yes, it is by far my favorite dairy product." I said raising my eyebrows. _Were we really having a conversation about pudding?_

I looked at Ginny who I must admit was doing a very good job of holding in her laughs.

The compartment door slid open again a while later.

"Ginny, you should really change into your robes. We'll be arriving in an hour!" Said the girl I recognized as Hermione. "Have you seen Harry and Ronald anywhere!" She asked angrily.

I had to burst out laughing again.

"What?" Asked Hermione.

"We, saw them…" Said Ginny nervously. "Outside the window."

"What do you mean outside the window?" Hermione asked frantically running over to look out the window.

"Don't worry no one threw them out the window," I said smiling.

"You see… they may have stolen dads flying car…" Said Ginny nervously.

"They What?" Screamed Hermione, sitting down and clutching her face. "They're going to be expelled! When I get my hands on them…" She threatened. I hadn't thought of them getting expelled. Apparently neither had Ginny cause she visibly paled.

Once again I was jealous of her obvious worry for her brother. Would Draco even care if I were going to be expelled?

We all changed into our robes and I was so nervous that I was barely functioning. What would happen if I weren't a Slytherin? Would my family disown me and send me to live with a bunch of strangers? When the train finally came to a stop I was practically hyperventilating.

"Come on!" Said Ginny grabbing my arm and dragging me off the train while Luna skipped away.

"Firs' years this way!" Yelled a huge, bearded man. I knew him as the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid. As much as my brother had told me, I was still shocked by his size. He explained that we were taking boats and Ginny and I climbed into one that had another pair of girls in it. One was Italian looking and short while the other was slightly taller and had brown hair and freckles.

I wasn't much different in the boats. I was still nervous as hell. I didn't even enjoy my first glance of Hogwarts. Draco didn't tell me how the first years were sorted. I was getting really nervous. Would I really be made a Slytherin like the rest of my family?

We climbed out of the boats in a small cave and walked up the stairs. Professor McGonagall was waiting for us.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," She said. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because when your hear your house will be something like your **family** here at Hogwarts," Oh no that settles it I'm _definitely_ going to be in Slytherin. _That's what my __**family**__ is like!_ I was panicking.

"You will have classes…" she went on to explain everything about the house system and what houses were which. I had stopped paying attention and went back to panicking.

After Professor McGonagall left, all of the first years began panicking about the test we would have to do in order to get sorted. I wasn't worried about the test, but the actual sorting itself.

When Professor McGonagall came back I thought I might be sick form fear. Everyone formed a line so I was assuming she had said something. The world had seemed to go quiet.

I wasn't paying attention to anything other than getting one foot infront of the other. I knew one thing for sure, I wasn't brave at all.

Before I knew it Ginny was nudging me in the side.

"All we have to do is try on the hat! George was going on about wrestling a troll, he told Ron the same thing! I'll kill them all!" She whispered angrily.

I was vaguely aware of the hats singing as I concentrated on breathing. Who would have thought that my entire life would come down to this one moment? What house I get put into will shape my destiny forever. Before I knew it McGonagall was saying…

"Lovegood, Luna," I watched as Luna skipped up and put the hat on her head. The older students laughed at her. After a few minutes the hat shouted out, "Ravenclaw!" I smiled happy for her.

Then Ginny was nudging me and I realized that it was my turn to wear the hat.

I walked up slowly… was it just me or could you hear every footstep. When I sat down professor McGonagall placed the hat over my eyes.

'Ah another Malfoy,' said the hat in my ear.

'I'm not the same as the rest of them,' I thought back.

'Ah… yes I can see that. You are defiantly cunning there is no doubt about that…. Yet you are also extremely smart… where to put you?' he asked almost more to himself.

'You can't say that I would make my real friends in Slytherin,' I thought absently. The hat chuckled

'Yes and whys that?'

'I've already made enemies with half of them." He chuckled again.

'But you certainly like to get your way." The hat pushed.

'No, I won't be like the rest of them,' was my calm confident decision.

'Well that is defiantly some bravery right there too.'

'Bravery?' I asked indignantly.

'Oh yes…'

'I always thought I was smart… but I never thought I was brave.'

'Smart you are… yes but you don't seem to listen to that brain of yours. Especially back in, what did you call it, oh yes, _Operation Graveyard_,' I smiled at that comment.

'So what house am I going to be in?' I asked getting a little impatient.

'Well your cunning defiantly isn't your most prominent feature… I think I had better put you in…'


	5. Day One part One

"Gryffindor!" yelled the hat to the great hall.

For a moment I was shocked, much like the rest of the Great Hall. _A Malfoy in Gryffindor? I wasn't brave at all, was I? _

After the truth sunk in for a second, I smiled and took of the hat. Gryffindor was no Ravenclaw… that's for sure… But it wasn't Slytherin either.

Instead of the cheers that everyone else had gotten I just received a shocked silence. The silence was almost immediately broken by the 'boos' of the Slytherins. I took that moment to look up into my brother's shocked face. I smiled at him, blew a kiss and waved, laughing as I sat down.

When I looked around I realized that some people had been cheering, but most weren't happy that I was a Gryffindor and just cheered for house support. Just looking down the table I had no doubt that they all expected me to act and believe the same things as my brother. I smiled nervously at the older students. One of them, I believe it was one of Ginny's brothers, just glared at me.

_I would have been a lot more welcome at the Slytherin table_, I thought to myself. _Remember, you wanted this_, I argued. Only crazy people argue in their heads.

By the time the sorting was finished there were eight new Gryffindors, including myself. Not nearly as many as the year before. Ginny had sat down right next to me and shot a reproachful look at her glaring brother. She was all smiles though. Ginny was in the house of Bravery, _who wouldn't be happy? _

The other new students were three boys, Nigel, Collin, and Kyle. The other girls were Michelle, Hailie, and Isabella. The new students didn't seem to care as much that I was in Gryffindor. They actually seemed happy to be in a house with me, my guess was they hadn't gotten to know my brother.

"This place is wicked isn't it?" Asked the tall girl with brown hair and blue eyes that I recognized as Hailie Cullen.

"Yeah, that ceiling is amazing… just wait till I get my camera!" Said an overly exited boy named Collin Creevey.

"He looks like he might wet himself," I whispered to Ginny. She laughed and nodded her head.

"How much magic do you guys know already?" asked Hallie.

"Not that much," I said, piling my plate high with all of the delicious food in front of me… minus the Yorkshire pudding. "Why?"

"Well, it's only that, my parents aren't magical," she began.

"Oh, you're muggleborn," said Ginny with a smile.

"What's a muggle?" asked Collin, who had gone from overly excited to overly anxious.

"A non-magical person," I supplied watching the looks of comprehension lightening their faces.

"Don't worry I'm sure you'll do just fine," said Ginny smiling at them.

"Yeah, I mean Hermione is muggleborn and she's brilliant," I said, gesturing to Hermione who had sat down a few seats away.

"Well, that's a load off my chest," said Hailie sighing and sipping her pumpkin juice.

I looked over to my other side to see Nigel looking around nervously as though he thought that no one would talk to him… before he was roped into a conversation with the other two girls, Isabella and Michelle.

Kyle on the other hand was talking with Fred and George Weasley, and I knew right away that he was gunna be a troublemaker.

"Do you really think that you'll know your way around by the second week of classes?" asked Isabella nervously.

"Of course not Izzy," Replied Michelle.

"I bet you'll all know your way around before me!" squeaked Nigel. His nerves were making his voice higher than it should be.

"That's comforting," Whispered Izzy sarcastically into Michelle's ear so that Nigel couldn't hear her.

"Do you have any pets?" asked Michelle.

"No," Nigel replied sadly.

"Well, I've got 6 cats at home! I could only bring Felix with me though," said Michelle sadly.

"What about you… Cassio..Casia…"

"Cassie," I supplied. "I've got an owl named Rouge."

Izzy made an eeping noise and ducked under the table.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Ginny, barging into our conversation.

"You said the word 'owl'," Michelle supplied as though it were obvious. "Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that not everyone knows she has Ornithophobia."

"She has what?" I asked incredulously. If you ask me that sounds an awful lot like a deadly disease.

"Fear of birds," Michelle said with a laugh.

Both Ginny and my mouths formed O's.

"Is it gone?!" asked Izzy from under the table.

"Yes!" said Michelle cheerfully.

"I can't wait to see that one at mail time," said Ginny gesturing at Izzy and I laughed.

After we had all finished our dinner we made our way up to the dormitories following the Gryffindor Prefect Percy.

"It's really supposed to be the new prefects leading us up to the dormitories. My guess is Percy refuses to give up his power." Whispered Ginny as we walked up the stairs.

The door to the dormitories was a large painting of a rather fat lady. "Password?" She asked.

"Wattlebird" Percy said clearly.

Inside the common room was nothing like the Slytherin one that Draco had described. This one was warm and welcoming as apposed to green and foreboding. There were many squishy armchairs all surrounding a large fireplace.

"The girls dormitories are up the stairs to you left. Boy's the same on your right. You'll find your belongings have already been brought up," said Percy in a large, important voice

I followed the other girls up a large spiral staircase and into a room labeled _first years_.

Inside were four large four-poster beds and a trunk lay at the foot of each one.

Michelle, noticing which bed was hers got a running start and leaped, farther than I thought possible for a girl as petite as her and landed on the very middle of her bed.

Hailey, taking Michelle's lead, tried to do the same thing. Key word being, 'tried'. She ran and leapt… but instead of landing on her bed… her foot caught on her trunk, causing her to fall mostly on the trunk but bouncing off of the half of the bed that her face and arms had landed on.

I started clapping as Hailey got up red faced. "I think we've got a new acrobat in Gryffindor… I really do," said Izzy opening her trunk to unpack.

"Well, I'm tired. Aren't you?" I asked sitting on the edge of my bed and flopping down.

"Michelle is," Answered Izzy with a laugh. I looked over to see that Michelle had already fallen asleep, without even taking off her shoes.

I got up but instead of unpacking like the rest of the girls minus Michelle, I just grabbed my pajamas.

"Was it just me or did the Gryffindor lot not exactly want me at their table?" I asked pretending that it didn't hurt as much as it really did.

"They just need to get to know you! I mean no offence but look at your brother. None of this lot are on his good side. They just expect you to be the same." Explained Ginny, getting her pajamas and closing her hangings to change.

"But I'm nothing like him!" I persuaded.

"Yeah, I know." said Ginny opening the hangings and smiling. "Trust me… They will too."

"I'm going to bed," I said closing my hangings.

"Well I'm going downstairs… it sounds a bit like a party!" said Ginny excitedly.

_Gryffindor_… I thought one last time smiling. _This wasn't going to go over well at all._

00000000000000

Have you ever had that feeling that you're waking up and you have no clue were you are and then out of no where you remember, "Hey I'm at Hogwarts?" Well that was kinda how everyone in our dormitory woke up.

After I got changed I waited for someone else to be ready for breakfast. Let's face it eating alone is not fun, not to mention I don't think I could find the great hall. I wasn't really in a hurry this morning either because I knew what the mail would bring. Even if I hadn't told mother and father I was a Gryffindor I'm sure that Draco did.

Ginny was the girl that was going to breakfast with me.

"Why do you look like your walking to your own funeral?" asked Ginny curiously.

"My parents must have found out what house I am, by now." I said darkly.

Ginny grimaced imaging the letter I must be getting. "On a happier note, once you fell asleep Harry and Ron came into the common room! They're not expelled… yet," Ginny said happily. Then noticing that that bit of news did nothing to up my spirits she added, "And you're not a Slytherin!"

"Yeah, I'm not!" I said smiling.

As we were crossing the fireplace I noticed Harry and Ron walking out of the portrait hole. "Hey look it's Harry, lets follow him." I said, thinking that we might not get lost after all. I turned to Ginny only to realize that she was gone. Looking over the back of a cushiony chair, I saw Ginny red-faced and hiding.

"Is he gone?" She squeaked.

"Why were you…? Oh." I said smiling as I realized why this Ginny was so different from the one I had gotten to know the past day. "You _like_ him _like_ him… don't you?" I asked with a hint of teasing in my voice.

Her eyes went wide and she bit her lip. "Maybe," She mumbled getting back up and pretending to act all cool like nothing had happened.

I just smiled knowingly. "Well now we've lost our guide… How are we gonna find the Great Hall?" I asked throwing my hands up in the air.

"Have no fear ladies," said Kyle coming out of nowhere to standing next to me.

"I think I'm more scared now," muttered Ginny into my ear.

I sniggered as he, having heard, turned red and said, "You wait, and I will have you ladies eating in no time at all." Then as he tried to slip his arm around my waist I stepped aside.

"Lead the way oh brave knight," I said mockingly trying to hold back a laugh and gesturing to the portrait hole with one arm.

"Follow me m'lady," and with that he took off. It didn't take long for us to realize he had no clue where to go and was just walking around and looking for an older student to follow. I just rolled my eyes at Ginny when we reached the great hall.

"Well, we couldn't have done that without your help," I said sarcastically taking a seat at the end of the table.

"For you babe… anything." He said smiling flirtatiously. _Come on can he be serious? We are both eleven, right? _

I looked at Ginny and snorted.

"Oh look mails here!" said Ginny excitedly… cutting off any time I had for a retort. "Oh no Ron's got a howler!" She exclaimed as we watched the boys scrambling about what to do.

Soon Ginny's mums voice was filling the room scolding her elder brother.

"… AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIT HOME!!!" Mrs. Weasley's threat hung on the air as the laughter broke out through the hall. I glanced in my brother's direction to see him laughing his head off. When he saw my eye contact he smirked and gestured for me to look forwards and I groaned.

Infront of me sat our family's screech owl… carrying a red envelope in its beak. I picked the letter out of its beak and turned to glare at my brother ignoring the other students' laughs of, "Two howlers in one day?"

Keeping eye contact with my brother across the hall and ignoring my newfound friends I opened the seal.

"CASSIOPIA CLEOPATRA ANNETTE MALFOY YOU HAVE DISGRACED THE ENTIRE FAMILY! OF ALL THE HOUSES YOU ARE IN GRYFINDOR! EVERYONE HAS BEEN IN SLYTHERIN FOR GENERATIONS AND YOU HAVE TO MESS IT ALL UP! YOU NEVER DO ANTHING RIGHT AND YOU FATHER IS ASHAMED TO HAVE YOU ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAMILY NAME! YOU ARE LUCKY YOU HAVN'T BEEN DISOWNED YET! I HAVE HALF A MIND TO BRING YOU HOME RIGHT NOW BUT I COULDN'T BE THE ONE TO BRING "DROP OUT" TO THE LIST OF DISAPOINTMENTS. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING HOME FOR THE HOLLIDAY'S. WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER." My usually calm mother's voice screamed across the hall.

All was quiet as what was said sunk in. The envelope burst into flames. I looked at the ashes and tried to ignore the eyes I could feel burning holes in the back of my scull. I had finally done it. One more wrong move and I would be disowned. Somehow that letter seemed below the belt. I could feel tears burning behind my eyes, tears that would never fall. I had plenty of practice in not crying. No one was laughing at this howler.

I looked up as I felt Kyle's hand pat my shoulder awkwardly. I looked into Ginny's eyes from where she sat across from me and did the one thing that no one expected. I laughed. "At least I'm not in Slytherin, right Ginny?" I asked in a rather loud voice. She too joined into my laughter. What had I been expecting a, 'congratulations in making Gryffindor! Your father and I are so proud'? No, I had known something like this was coming… it just still hurt. The only way to forget the pain was to laugh it off. And that was something I was rather good at. Make people think I had forgotten… but I never would.

_Some things stay in your mind forever._

People seemed to finally look away after a moment of staring and realizing that I wasn't going to breakdown.

I took my opportunity to look my brother in the eyes again. He looked shocked at what mother had said. He had never known what it was like to be the disappointment. Draco had never done anything wrong. And he had never heard the countless lectures I got. He was sheltered from the world. Draco was one track minded, incapable of believing anything other than what he was brought up to believe. I wasn't.

I was broken out of my daze by professor McGonagall tapping my shoulder lightly. I could see the look of pity in her eyes as she handed me my timetable. I gave her a small smile to say thanks and glanced over my schedule.

"We have the same classes right?" I asked Ginny handing her my schedule.

She glanced over them and thrust mine back absently saying, "Yup, all the Gryffindor first years do."

"What have we got today," asked Kyle as he shoveled bacon and eggs into his mouth.

"Well I don't know? Maybe you could look at your timetable. You know, that thing sitting right next to you!" I said annoyed pointing at the schedule that he had been neglecting as Michelle and Hailie walked into the great hall.

Michelle spotting us came over and asked, "Did the mail come yet?" she whispered.

"Unfortunately," I said glaring at my eggs.

"Oh good," She said immediately happy and loud again. Then at the top of her voice she yelled, "ALL CLEAR!" and Izzy came in looking like death itself. Too tired to see strait she took the very last seat at the table and Michelle and Hailie joined her.

"We've got History of Magic with Ravenclaw, Herbology with Hufflepuff then Charms also with Ravenclaw after lunch," Said Ginny studying her schedule.

"Tough luck for you lot," said an older boy that resembled Kyle. "None of you will stay awake during History of Magic first block on a Monday."

"This is my brother Oliver," Said Kyle turning back to his food. "He's Quidditch Captain."

"I hate flying," I told them and Ginny along with the boys looked shocked. It was quite funny really… it sort of looked how I would imagine people's faces looking if I said that I liked Uncle Se- I mean- Professor Snape's hair.

"How can you hate flying?" Asked Oliver in disbelief, Kyle just opening his mouth and looking similar to a fish out of water. I was really beginning to wish I had kept my mouth shut.

"It's not really the flying that bugs me… it's the heights." I explained.

"How can you be afraid of heights?" asked Ginny incredulously.

"I just am," I said turning back to my food and ignoring any further questioning until I was no longer the subject of the conversation.

"We're going to win the cup this year… I just know it!" said Oliver in his Scottish accent.

I just smiled, grabbing my bag as I realized that class started in 10 minutes and I still had no clue where the History of Magic classroom was.

"Are you two done yet?" I asked standing up and Oliver went over to talk with some of the girls on his Quidditch team.

"Yeah," said Ginny copying my lead and standing up.

"Come on Kyle, We haven't got all day," Said Ginny checking to make sure she had the books she needed for today.

"Oh all right, I'll just have to starve," He said ignoring the fact that he had eaten enough food to feed an entire third world country.

"Whatever you say porky," I said as we walked out of the great hall and onto the main staircase. He wasn't fat but it was fun making fun of him. I already knew he was the easy going type.

"I'm not fat!" He said indignantly.

"I hate to break up your little love fest," Said Ginny earning glares from both Kyle and I. "But… do either of you two know how to get to the History of Magic classroom?"

"Well, no… But it can't be that hard," said Kyle looking around. "Let's try this staircase… eventually we'll find the right one!"

"There are a hundred and forty two staircases at Hogwarts. Do you really think if we do trial and error we will make it to class in 9 minutes?" I asked rolling my eyes and checking my watch. Kyle seemed at a loss for words.

"Wait here!" He said running back into the Great Hall. He came back smiling a minute later holding a piece of paper and waving it about like it was gold. "Follow me Ladies," He said leading the way.

"Did you just go and have your brother right down directions?" asked Ginny curiously as we ran down the halls.

"Maybe… But a man never gives away his secrets," He said taking a sharp turn.

"Brilliant," Was all I said as we skidded down the halls.

Even with Oliver's directions we still got lost twice and had to ask an old portrait of a bearded man wearing a paper party hat for where we went wrong. We made it to the classroom with thirty seconds to spare and took the seats farthest back. There were only two other Gryffindor in the room. Collin and Nigel, who seemed to have become close friends.

Both of whom seemed to have an unnatural obsession with famous people.

Professor Binns glided through the chalkboard and a muggle born girl from Ravenclaw screamed with shock. Most of the other students had been warned. He seemed to not have even noticed that there were kids in the room before the scream.

He then spent the next ten minutes looking for the class list and began to slowly call out names.

"Corner, Michel," Wheezed the old dead professor. As the door to the classroom opened slowly showing a red-faced Izzy as she held the door open for her friends. She put a finger up to her lips telling them to be quiet. Michelle tiptoed in and sat down next to me. In the distance I could hear heavy footsteps as someone ran down the hall.

"Here," answered a boy from somewhere in the middle of the classroom. Izzy was making hurry motions with her hands in the hallway, looking over her shoulder at professor Binns.

"Cullen, Hailie," He said still not looking up from his list.

Just then Hailie came through the door and slid across the floor halfway into the classroom. "Here," She said slightly out of breath.

The other two girls went and joined Michelle.

"It wouldn't have been so close if someone hadn't dropped their bag down three flights of stairs," Michelle whispered, glaring at Hailie.

"My bad?" Squeaked Hailie, hiding her face in her book.

"D'Vito, Isabella,"

"Here," said Izzy also getting out her books.

"Why were you guys so late to breakfast?" asked Ginny curiously.

"Two words, Bird Phobia," Whispered Michelle pointing at Izzy.

Kyle, who hadn't heard of Izzy's Bird Phobia yet burst out laughing… only to receive a few glares from the Ravenclaws.

"That's too bad, birds are wonderful animals," said a dreamy voice from the seat in front of me.

"Lovegood, Luna,"

"Present," she said quietly.

"Hey Luna," I said, surprised that I hadn't recognized her. She did look a lot different now that she was dressed like everyone else… normally.

"Hello, I heard your howler this morning," said Luna still looking forward.

"Malfoy, Cassiopeia."

"Here," I said loudly, earning a few glares from the people in the front row.

"I just wanted to let you know, your welcome to come over my house for the Holidays, Daddy just loves having company." Luna said dreamily as if she were imagining her family, homesick already.

"Tarins, Michelle."

"Here."

"Thanks for the offer Luna," I said surprisingly happy. I knew her family was extremely crazy, but just her offer made me feel like someone else cared. For the first time since that morning my smile was genuine.

"Weasley, Ginevra."

"Ginevra?" Asked Kyle trying to stifle his laughs, "It's a nice name isn't it?" He asked me trying desperately to keep from laughing as Ginny gave him a look that could kill.

"Wood, Kyle."

"Here."

The rest of the class was uneventful. I was trying desperately to write down the notes on Uric the Evil and Emeric the Oddball… I mean Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball. Meanwhile, Kyle caught up on his sleep and Ginny attempted to pay attention.

We only got lost six times on the way to Herbology. You wouldn't think that finding your way out of the castle and to the rather large greenhouses would be difficult. But no, nothing can be easy. We had to ask a total of twelve portraits and the Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff ghost, for directions. Professor Sprout was understanding and didn't deduct any house points. She just told us not to let it happen again.

By the time lunch came around we were exhausted. We were all eating and resting our aching feet from running up and down stairs trying to find our classes. Collin who noticed that Harry Potter had just left the Great Hall with his friends, ran after him with his newly found camera.

"How long do you think it will take him to figure out that he forgot his bag?" asked Kyle through a mouthful of potatoes.

"He probably won't," said Ginny grimacing at the food that Kyle was spraying across the table at us.

"Kyle why don't you go and hang out with the guys?" I asked rolling my eyes and helping myself to potatoes as well.

"Are you kidding me? In case you haven't noticed the Gryffindor guys aren't exactly interesting this year. I'm surprised that they're even in Gryffindor. You should hear them… All night all they talk about is Victor Krum and Celestina Warbeck. They were ecstatic that both Gildaroy Lockhart and Harry Potter are at school. I bet he went to get a signed photograph." He ranted brandishing his fork like a knife.

"And I thought we were just good company," said Ginny pretending to be hurt.

"I know, did you hear that? He's just hanging out with us because no one else is good enough!" I said with a hand placed over my heart and joined Ginny in the 'too fake to even think that it could be real' crying.

"No… I didn't mean that. What I meant was… I like you both and you're really pretty…" He stammered.

"And now the truth comes out! It's just because we're pretty!" Wailed Ginny. She was good at twisting people's words having grown up with seven brothers.

"No that's not what I meant either!" He said, frantically trying to come up with the words he meant.

At that point Ginny and I both stopped the fake crying and began laughing hysterically.

"Girls," Grunted Kyle as he realized we had been pulling his leg the whole time.

It was funny but even though I had only been at this school for less than a day, I already felt more at home than I ever had at Malfoy Manner. In fact, I don't think that the Malfoy Manner will ever felt like home for me.

_Home is where the Heart is. _


	6. Day One part Two

_AN: I think my beta hates me. I kinda had this chapter just sitting on my computer un revised for like a month, then I sent it to my beta with a million spelling errors cause I was to lazy to re read it my self. If it wasn't for her I don't think that this chapter would ever be posted so give her a round of applause!_

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Once again we left the Great Hall with ten minutes to spare in finding our classroom. This time, Ginny had gotten the directions from Fred… or maybe it was George. We had just turned around for the fifth time after confronting a picture of a fat lady wearing a pink tutu and holding a pink pet poodle when I heard someone sniggering.

I looked up to see one of the girls that was 'nice' to me at Father's parties, but she was also someone I tried to avoid. Anika Pucey.

"Well well well, Here she is… the little blood traitor," She said to her laughing group of Slytherin cronies. All of the girls seemed to allow her to take leadership and speak for them. "Heard your Howler this morning Cassie. How's it feel to have your own family so ashamed they can't even stand to look at you?"

I felt the blood rushing through my veins as the adrenalin flushed through my system. I wanted to attack her and pull at that perfect silky black hair of hers. Ginny must have noticed the fire in my eyes because she grabbed my arm to hold me back.

_Calm down and Walk away Cassie_, my brain was telling me. But I chose to ignore it. That seemed to be turning into a pattern lately. All of the hurt and anger I had bottled up was about to pop the cork.

It wasn't her words that hurt me, no, I knew it was true. But it was the memories and the bottled up emotion that had finally been given a target to take everything out on. It took all my energy to keep my calm composure.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" She cackled howling with laughter, the girls around her joining in.

"Maybe she's just got more class than you can ever hope to get," Said Kyle, pulling out his wand.

"Ooooh look! She's got herself a bodyguard. What are you gonna to do with that, poke my eye?" She mocked and I could tell Kyle was getting pissed off too. She only looked slightly scared from his threat because she knew none of us with the exception of me knew much about magic and casting spells yet. I had read a lot and knew about magic from my family. Not that I could actually perform much of it.

"If only your family could see you now!" She sneered. "Associating with the Weasley's!" she laughed. The girls around her joined in cackling.

"Oh yeah? And what's wrong with the Weasley's, eh?" I asked jerking my arm from Ginny's grip and stepping forwards. There was no point in pretending I still had the views of my family. The whole world knew I wasn't like them, that I was in Gryffindor.

"Oh nothing! If you don't mind hanging out with people who reproduce faster than gerbils and sleep in one room!" She said. All I could see was her face surrounded by the other girls all laughing at things that weren't funny,_ mocking me_.

_Don't attack them_. _That makes you no better than them_. I kept on telling myself over and over again. But I couldn't let her trash my friends. Not even if I hadn't even known them a day.

I lunged forward pulling out my wand as I went getting so close that it was touching her forehead. I didn't care that I barely knew any spells, and I didn't care that fighting was against the rules. The only thing I could think was that she couldn't get away with talking to my friends like that… and my mind was so blank I couldn't think of anything smart to say.

"Watch it," She sneered though I could see the fear in her eyes. "You wouldn't want to become more of a disappointment. _Expelled_ after _one_ day." She sneered knocking my wand down. _Maybe you can get expelled for dueling in the corridors… but I don't like the shape of her nose_. I was ignoring my brain, which was by now screaming that I shouldn't do anything that I would regret.

Her eyes followed mine to where she was holding my wand hand. She had a smug look on her face like she had just won, not only the battle… but the war. The war that had now begun between me and her. She looked over her shoulder smirking at her friends. I took my left hand and swung it as hard as I could at her perfect little nose.

I knew it wasn't a smart thing to do. She did have an older brother, but somehow I think that simple gesture got my message across. _Bring it on._

"Just wait till my parents hear about this! Your father will not stand for it either!" She squealed as blood cascaded down her face and onto the floor.

"Tell your father to tell mine I said Hi," I said coolly, then turning to my friends I said, "I think it's this way." Pointing to a different corridor.

As we were walking down the hall Kyle started the 20 questions.

"How did you know her? Have you always hated each other? I'm glad you hit her or I just might have."

"I used to know her when we were little. She used to rip the heads off my dolls so I accidentally, I-I mean using accidental magic, shaved her head. Well at least I think it was me. Anyway, she hasn't forgiven me, but she had to be nice because of my family and it's _connections_." I explained bitterly, messaging my knuckles. "You know that really wasn't worth it. Now my hand hurts." I mumbled and Kyle laughed.

"That's the Cassie I know," he said slapping my shoulder in one of those manly ways.

"The Cassie you've known for like six hours," I muttered under my breath.

"Hey, do you know what I just realized?" Asked Kyle, as he slung his arm over my shoulder the other over Ginny's.

"What did you realized Kyle?" asked Ginny distractedly.

"I realized," He said importantly, like he was keeping us in suspense. "That Cassie's initials spell Ccam or CAM! I'm gonna call you Cam… cause everyone calls you Cassie." He said smiling as I rolled my eyes.

"Everyone being Ginny, Luna, You, Draco, My uncle Ted, My cousin Dora… and the rest of this years Gryffindors. Maybe a couple other kids who caught on… but really, that's barely 11 people." I said exasperatedly trying to shrug off his arm.

"Yeah, but I wanna be special," He said sliding his arm over my shoulder again.

"Fine," I rolled my eyes and he smiled knowing he'd won.

"Now that that's settled, can we go in?" Asked Ginny. It was only then that I realized we had stopped and were standing just outside the Charms classroom.

I blushed and nodded trying one last time to shrug off Kyle's arm. We walked in and scanned the class room for empty seats. The only place left with three was between Collin and Luna.

"Well, I call the middle." Said Kyle holding both of us back as we started to the other end of the class room.

"Why? Luna's nice," I said quietly.

"She's also just a little loopy," Muttered Kyle. "You can sit next to Loony… I mean Luna."

"That was mean!" I said huffing and crossing my arms. I wasn't going to talk to him again. Luna was my friend too. I marched over and sat down next to her deliberately looking at anything but Kyle. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Ginny laughing at Kyle who looked like he really regretted saying anything.

_Don't look at him._ "Hi Luna," I said brightly.

"Hello," She said taking out her books and stuffing her wand behind her left ear.

Kyle sat down next to me and looked like he was sitting on needles. I almost laughed at how he was uncomfortable around me but then I remembered I was mad at him.

"I'd look out for that one," Said Luna, gesturing to Kyle. "He looks like he's just sat on a hive of stinging stroodle hornets."

"Are they catchy?" I asked in alarm even though I knew there was no such thing.

"Very… but there even less common than nargles. I bet those ones are vicious. They probably haven't been feeding in ages."

"What do they feed on?" I asked curiously.

"Cloths! I think we should all vacate the area before we've got nothing left!" She said edging away from me in her seat.

Ginny, who had been listening from the other side of Kyle looked like she was ready to burst out laughing, but was doing a very good job of holding it in.

I heard her tease Kyle, "Watch out! The Stinging Stroodle Hornets are after you." And he promptly turned red.

"I hope I don't catch them," I muttered to Luna who looked at me wide eyed and nodded.

"I'll let you know if there feeding on you," She said just as Professor Flitwick began taking the roll call.

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"Come on Cassie, I didn't mean it!" complained Kyle at dinner.

"Mhm," I said, still ignoring him. Ginny was sitting across from us in hysterics. I think that she had sat on that side on purpose just to torture me.

I knew I was being a little unreasonable, but I just didn't feel like caving in just yet.

As we left the Great Hall all I could hear was Kyle behind us. "Come on guys," He whined. I laughed… the great 11 year old flirt was _whining_.

He came up next to me and put his arm on my shoulders. I yelped and jumped away from him. "What are you thinking? I don't want to catch your Stinging Stroodle Hornets!" I said it with a strait face and Kyle's own turned scarlet, but I just couldn't keep it any longer and broke down into hysterics.

"That wasn't funny guys," He complained.

"Sure it wasn't," said Ginny sarcastically. "Where did she come up with that anyways?" she asked, shaking her head as we turned around at a dead end and continue trying to find our way back to the common room.

"I have no idea… I mean some things she talks about I've heard of. _Stroodle hornets_? Isn't a stroodle a pastry or something?" I asked as Kyle caught up.

"You mean you don't believe anything she says either and you still got pissed off at me?" Asked Kyle incredulously.

"Yup," I said brightly nodding my head and smiling. "But she's still my friend and I don't like it when people _insult_ my _friends_." I explained.

"I'll take a mental note," He grumbled shoving his fists into his pockets.

"You sure it won't get lost in there? Seems like a lot of empty space." I said taking my knuckles and rapping them on his head like a door.

He just scowled and crossed his arms over his head sulking. That was until he saw a group of third year Hufflepuffs giggling and talking in the corner of the next hallway.

"Excuse me lady's. Duty Calls!" He said bowing and taking off towards the girls.

Ginny and I both burst out laughing and talked about how many times he would get rejected by the end of the day.

20 minutes later we found ourselves in our dormitories dropping off our books. I took out my notes and a different notebook and began to recopy them neatly. Ginny looked over my shoulder and rolled her eyes.

"We don't even have homework, why are you recopying notes?" She asked as she went through her trunk.

"So that I have a nice clean legible copy to study from." I said dipping my quill back into the ink.

I didn't look up but I knew she was rolling her eyes. "That's odd." She said absently.

"What?" I asked, not even looking up from my notes.

"It's just… this isn't mine. I've never even seen it before." She said curiously taking out a little black book.

"Let me see," I said getting off my bed and taking the book from her. On the back, imprinted in gold, was the name Tom Riddle and a date some 50 years previously.

"The name sounds familiar…" I said flipping through the blank pages. Then I shrugged, sure the name was ringing a bell but it could have just been mentioned in passing for all I knew. I didn't know any Toms… well except for that guy at the Leaky Cauldron, but he isn't that old.

"Should I keep it?" She asked as I opened the book again expecting to find something. Some writing should have been there. Why would somebody get a journal with their name on it and never even write a word… draw a single doodle. It must have been a bad Christmas gift or something.

"It's just an old diary I doubt anyone will miss it," I said shrugging and handing her the book. I went back to copying my notes.

I heard Ginny gasp from near her bed but ignored it. After all she was going though her trunk and I highly doubt that her brothers Fred and George didn't put a prank in there somewhere. After a few more minutes I smiled and blew on the page to make it dry and not smudge. I put away my notes and checked on Ginny seeing that she was writing in her new journal I decided to give her some space and went down to the common room in search of Kyle.

As I had suspected, he was down there flirting with a group of second year girls. He looked up when I entered the common room and I took a seat in one of the chairs facing his direction. I watched him pull a move on one of them only to receive a slap in the face. I was laughing so hard that I couldn't breathe.

From across the room I heard him say, "Well Fine, I know when I'm not wanted." I looked up at him as he took a seat across from me, still laughing.

"You know, you seem to have that effect on a lot of girls," I said gesturing to his now bright red cheek. He just glared at me.

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!" He said in a mocking voice.

"Well okay then," I said calmly. "But I'm not sure how much trying your face can handle." I burst out laughing and he just scowled.

"So I've got a little work to do on my process, big deal," he said slouching back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "Where's Ginny? I thought you guys were attached at the hip." He asked looking around.

"She's in the dorm," I said finally calming down from my laughing fit. After a few seconds of silence I sprung up from my chair and started walking to the dorms.

"What!? Where are you going?" Asked Kyle frantically, getting up and following me.

"I'm bored!" I complained. "I'm gonna go get my Charms book or something," I said, pausing at the foot of the stairs.

"You're gonna read a _text book_, because your _bored_?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes, actually, I am." I said matter-of-factly.

"Well, okay then," He said, going to step on the stairs.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said barely concealing my smile.

"Well, why not? It's just stairs!" He said and climbed onto the first step. He turned around smiled at me and began running up the stairs. Only to be shot back down once the stairs turned into a slide.

I smiled at him when he was at a pile at my feet. "Pity your brother didn't mention that," I said, stepping around him. After the stairs turned back I climbed up. When I was about six stairs up, the furthest Kyle had gotten was five stairs, I turned around. "I hate to say, 'I told you so'…." I said at his disgruntled figure at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah," He grumbled getting up and walking away rubbing his backside.

I climbed the rest of the way up the stairs and into the first years room. Ginny's curtains were pulled so I figured she had an early night. I went through my trunk and grabbed my Transfiguration book. I tiptoed out of the room so I wouldn't disturb her and closed the door quietly.

Once I got to the common room I picked the only empty armchair and settled down to read.

My thoughts still lingered on the name Tom Riddle. Something about it was ringing a lot of bells in my head. But I just couldn't place the name with a face.


End file.
